Delcambre Shrimp Festival Promises Good Eating

For the first time local shrimpers will sell fresh-frozen shrimp to festivalgoers.

Gallery: Shrimp! Get yours at the Delcambre Shrimp Festival! [1 Image] Click any image to expand.

DELCAMBRE, La. -- The Delcambre Direct Seafood program is unveiling a pilot frozen seafood product at the Delcambre Shrimp Festival, Aug. 15 - 19. For the first time, local shrimpers will sell fresh-frozen shrimp to festivalgoers, Chef Patrick Mould will demonstrate recipes and offer samples, and fishermen will give tours at the dock.

This demonstration project is another avenue for shrimpers to connect with consumers and showcase the quality of Louisiana seafood, said Thomas Hymel, director of Louisiana Seafood Direct. "DelcambreDirectSeafood.com has helped local shrimpers rebuild their business by selling fresh-off-the-boat seafood direct to the public," he explained. "This project takes the direct concept to the next level--giving shrimpers an additional opportunity to sell with premium frozen shrimp that meets year-round demand."

According to Hymel, the emphasis is on premium quality. The shrimp are hand-peeled fresh from the boat at a local processor. This handling ensures the shrimp retain the sweet, natural flavor that can be lost with machine processing.

"As a professional chef I always like to go directly to the source whenever possible for my ingredients," said Chef Patrick Mould, owner of Louisiana Culinary Enterprises, Inc. "This new product will allow the consumer to get the freshest, best tasting, hand peeled Gulf shrimp available. Gulf shrimp are known worldwide as the best shrimp available for any recipe you are preparing."

Connie Landry, member of the Delcambre Shrimp Festival Association, is excited about what this project offers to visitors. "As far back as I can remember we have had Shrimp Festival patrons ask about purchasing Gulf shrimp to bring home with them," she said. "With the implementation of this program, festival patrons will now have that opportunity.

Hymel added: "As part of the Louisiana Seafood Direct project, our goal is two-fold: to help the local shrimping industry recover and, hand-in-hand, to help shrimpers provide high quality products. We created the Louisiana Seafood Direct Academy, with training for fishermen on multiple business issues like quality, energy-efficiency, rules and regulations, and more. In fact, this demonstration project is possible because of money made available from the education piece. We are constantly striving to offer value-added projects that help our fishermen succeed."

DelcambreDirectSeafood.com was created by the Twin Parish Port Commission, in partnership with LSU Ag Center and Louisiana Sea Grant, as a marketplace where consumers purchase fresh, wild-caught shrimp and other seafood direct from the fishermen. For more information, contact Leslie Davis, 337-212-4742.